1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to fireplaces, particularly to a lightweight prefabricated fireplace for residential or small business installation.
2. Background Art
Fireplaces are popular features for homes and small businesses. In some locations, a fireplace may serve as a significant or supplemental source of building heat in colder climates. A fireplace may also be a centerpiece of room decor, and when in use improve the ambiance and mood of the room. In the western United States, especially the southwestern United States, a particular style of fireplace sometimes called a “kiva” fireplace has become popular. Kiva-style fireplaces are patterned after the fireplaces used by ancient and modern Native Americans (particularly the Pueblo and Hopi peoples). A kiva fireplace features gentle, rounded exterior contours and a relatively small firebox with a rounded concave interior combustion chamber. A kiva-style fireplace typically has a generally cylindrical chimney of modest diameter that is visible within the interior of the room.
Currently, fireplaces, particularly kiva- and Rumford-style fireplaces, ordinarily are installed during the construction of the building. They usually are constructed from relatively heavyweight materials, e.g., adobe bricks, stones, masonry, mortar, and the like. While such “original installation” kiva fireplaces are durable and handsome, their character, particularly their weight, normally requires that the building be specially designed to accommodate them. A conventional kiva fireplace generally cannot be “retrofitted” into an existing structure, especially on an upper story or floor, at least not without extensive structure remodeling.
A variety of fireplace types are disclosed in the following patents, which offer background in the art: U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,257 to Hodge et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,438 to Scholtz et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,862 to McGee; U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,3112 to Kincaid
A need remains for a lightweight masonry prefabricated fireplace, especially a kiva—or a contemporary Rumford-style fireplace that can be easily installed into existing structures, such as the room of a residence.